


There Is a Light (And It Never Goes Out)

by zuotian



Category: Naruto
Genre: Angst, Chuunin Exams, Light Whump, M/M, Sparring, Unresolved Emotional Tension
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-06
Updated: 2019-03-06
Packaged: 2019-11-12 18:54:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,974
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18016469
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/zuotian/pseuds/zuotian
Summary: "Wait,” Lee called. His hand shot out, faster than Sasuke could detect or evade, and clasped around his wrist.Sasuke froze, looked into Lee’s eyes - curiosity mirrored with animosity. “Let go of me.”Lee didn’t comply. “What are you doing out here?” he asked.“I could ask the same of you,” Sasuke countered.Set after Episode 39.





	There Is a Light (And It Never Goes Out)

**Author's Note:**

> i guess i'm in rarepair hell now? SUPER COOL! 
> 
> rewatching the series. back when times were simple everyone were babies. got to episode 39. sasuke is like "i copied rock lee's move to defeat this random sound guy" and lee is like "that's cool" and now i ship them so hard. their personalities absolutely clash horribly, but that's what makes it all so fun. it's 1 in the morning. 
> 
> fudged up the chuunin exam arc timeline because i just had to shoehorn this scene in somewhere. i surprised myself with how much i liked writing this so expect more probably
> 
> title from the smiths lol
> 
> leave a comment :) and a kudos :)

Sasuke had begun wandering as of late. It helped him escape his nagging sensei, incessant teammates, and errant thoughts. The curse mark on his shoulder was a constant ache, always fighting against the seal written in Kakashi’s blood, and served as a permanent reminder of Orochimaru’s offer to help him achieve his end goal: vengeance. Sasuke had to prioritize his objectives fast, or else the opportunity would pass him by.

 

But something kept him from making a decision to leave the village right away. It wasn’t loyalty or sentimentality but - for better or worse - a clinging identification with the Leaf, most apparent in his relationship with his team; Naruto’s stubborn optimism, Sakura’s futile compassion, and Kakashi’s distant monitoring. The Will of Fire, some called it - Sasuke didn’t bother with such a traditional concept, but its consequences were unignorable. His clan was dead, so he wasn’t bound by blood - maybe it was a matter of spirit, which transcended lineage altogether. Konoha haunted him. That sounded right.

 

He felt burdened, trapped. But there were others like him who felt the opposite. Not only that, they embodied the Will of Fire openly and proudly. Without the limitations of clan bureaucracy, the Leaf was the only thing they had to live for. If Itachi weren’t alive Sasuke might’ve ended up on that path too, but it was difficult to imagine a destiny not characterized by revenge.

 

Regardless, he had a choice to make. He wrongly assumed it’d be an easy decision. Fantasies of a life unfettered by his brother’s crimes were evidence enough of his distraction.

 

A cool breeze suddenly sluiced over his shoulders. The sky darkened to a navy black during his walk. He’d ditched post-training dinner with Naruto and Sakura for directionless meandering and presently considered heading back to his empty apartment to eat plain rice, but wrote off the idea as quickly as it had come. There wasn’t a point in going home when he’d just sit awake for hours plagued by insomniac ruminations. It was best keep himself busy - at least then he wouldn’t be wasting time.

 

He circled back to the training grounds, intent on razing the surrounding forest with chains of Fire Release jutsu. A dramatic technique that befit Naruto’s obnoxious style, tonight Sasuke required an emotional outlet. Nothing worked as well as unchecked pyromania.

 

Besides, perhaps, an evenly matched spar.

 

Chakra masked, Sasuke stopped on the edge of the farthest training ground and spectated. A familiar figure exacted a powerful finishing blow, shattering a large boulder. All around him trees and rocks had been smashed to nothing.

 

He relaxed his stance. Moonlight glanced off the sweat on his substantial brow. Otherwise he showed no signs of fatigue, despite the wreckage he’d wrought.

 

The figure turned around.

 

“Good evening, Sasuke-kun,” Rock Lee said. His voice projected across the field at its usual loud volume, but carried an uncharacteristically somber tone.

 

Sasuke suppressed his surprise at being caught and calmly stepped forward. “How’d you know I was here?”

 

Lee flipped damp hair off of his forehead and smirked. “I do not have to rely on chakra to recognize my opponents.”

 

“Opponents?” Sasuke asked, disregarding Lee’s subtle jibe.

 

Lee shrugged as Sasuke stopped in front of him. “I didn’t mean it literally.” Smirk sharpening to a radiant grin, he jabbed his chest with his thumb. “Be rest assured - we are comrades!”

 

“Thanks for the clarification.” Sasuke observed the decimated training ground, then looked at Lee’s form. He seemed to be in good shape, but - “Are they allowing you to train like this already?”

 

Lee’s grin fell into an irksome frown. “I will not give up my exercise regime at the behest of doctor’s orders!”

 

“Sounds like a good idea,” Sasuke said, though he respected willful ignorance of medical opinion.

 

“Besides,” Lee continued, “I need to practice harder than ever before. Gai-sensei has prohibited me from opening the gates again until I am fully recovered. But that won’t stop me! Defeat is unacceptable, unless you utilize it to motivate you further. That is what Gai-sensei says.”

 

And Sasuke thought Kakashi was bad; he could only imagine having Maito Gai as a teacher. He latched onto a different part of Lee’s statement, however. “Defeat?” he echoed. “Gaara is a monster. Anyone would have difficulty against him. You held your own against me - and it’s impressive you lasted as long as you did with him. But that guy is something else entirely.” He said this not to comfort Lee, but to express his irritation with the mysterious Sand nin who threatened his own rank and ability.

 

Either way, Lee’s expression smoothed and he straightened up. “So you consider me a worthwhile opponent?”

 

“I thought we were comrades.”

 

“Don’t twist my words. Gai-sensei told me this would happen - you are just like Kakashi-sensei, I knew it!”

 

Sasuke bristled at the comparison to his irreverent pervert of a mentor. “What?”

 

“You’re sarcastic,” Lee supplemented. “Too cool. Aloof. Standoffish. You pretend - “

 

“Well what does that crazy dork know anyway?” Sasuke cut off, scowling.

 

“Excuse me?” Lee frowned again. “Gai-sensei and Kakashi-sensei have been Rivals” - he said the word as if it were sacred - “for over a decade! No one knows Kakashi-sensei like Gai-sensei! If he claims you two are similar, of course I will believe him.”

 

“Okay - I get it. What’s the point? You want to be my rival or something? I’ve already got one, and I don’t even want him.”

 

“No, I already have a Rival as well.”

 

Sasuke paused. “Hyuuga?”

 

Lee nodded an affirmative. “Neji, yes.”

 

“Then get off my back.”

 

His plans to set stuff on fire ruined and his mood worsened, Sasuke turned to leave.

 

“Wait,” Lee called. His hand shot out, faster than Sasuke could detect or evade, and clasped around his wrist.

 

Sasuke froze, looked into Lee’s eyes - curiosity mirrored with animosity. “Let go of me.”

 

Lee didn’t comply. “What are you doing out here?” he asked.

 

“I could ask the same of you,” Sasuke countered.

 

“I was discharged this morning,” Lee admitted. “The hospital is so - it made me claustrophobic. They kept me on drugs. I couldn’t even do basic exercises in my room!” Sasuke figured Lee’s definition of basic exercise was different than everybody else’s, but didn’t comment. “I’ve been here since I got out, to catch up on my conditioning. And let off some steam, you could say. What about you?”

 

Sasuke tore his arm out of Lee’s grip. “I wanted to let off some steam. You could say.”

 

“Hmm.” Lee’s smirk returned, strangely playful. It was disconcerting. “What a predicament we find ourselves in - two shinobi with excess energy, in an empty training ground.”

 

“I need to get home,” Sasuke lied. “Go find Hyuuga, if you want to spar.”

 

“I don’t want to spar. I want to learn.”

 

What was with this guy, Sasuke wondered. He spoke with such idiocy, until a serious preposition slapped you in the face. Interest piqued, he remained where he was. “What do you mean?”

 

“You said it yourself,” Lee reminded him. “In the second exam - without copying my move, you would’ve lost the fight.”

 

“I wouldn’t go that far,” Sasuke hedged warningly.

 

“It’s true and you know it,” Lee insisted. “Please do not act coy. I can see through your ploy.”

 

“There’s no ploy,” Sasuke snapped. “You’re just annoying as hell.”

 

“Reactive behavior is more telling than reactive words,” Lee said, back at it with the oddly succinct language; probably verbatim from his insane sensei. “You are defensive when I point out my accurate observations.”

 

“If _you’re_ anything like Gai, Kakashi is crazy for putting up with him.”

 

“You’re deviating from the topic at hand,” Lee said. “We can learn something from each other.”

 

Sasuke tisked. He looked away from Lee, unable to face his thousand-watt determination or deny his claim.

 

Lee stepped closer. His voice lowered to an unintentionally husky whisper in the silent night; its empathetic gravity sent uncomfortable goosebumps across Sasuke’s skin. “I can tell you are in poor spirits, Sasuke-kun. As am I. We can help each other, too.”

 

Instinct told Sasuke to get the fuck out, go home and brood alone, but something kept him rooted to the spot. The same something that kept him shackled to the damn village itself. Rock Lee was all of Konoha’s ideals and aspirations funneled into a single person - concentrated and directed, unlike Naruto’s wild card personality. Maybe that’s what enabled him to understand Sasuke within the past ten minutes better than his own team had within the past month.

 

Sasuke dragged his gaze back to Lee, who stared at him unafraid and uncowed. “What do you suggest, then?” he asked.

 

Lee smiled wider than the sky and brighter than the stars therein. “Let’s fight!”

 

Sasuke scoffed to hide his amusement. He unlocked his stiff posture and took on a loose stance - this, he could handle. “You asked for it.”

 

“You’ve seen my ability,” Lee said, backtracking a few paces across from him. “I know you will take this seriously.”

 

Lee was correct. Sasuke lifted his chin, the Sharingan activating. The curse mark responded to the stimulus; he ignored it. “Then shut up and let’s go.”

 

“Sasuke-kun!” Lee’s face flushed, like Sasuke had complimented him.

 

“Consider yourself lucky - I don’t just do this around anybody,” Sasuke informed. Forced to the same level of alertness Haku’s ice prison had required was testimony enough to Lee’s skill. “We’re not playing around this time, are we?”

 

“Right!” Lee took on his customary pose, an arm bent behind his back and the other held out in front of him. “I will return the honor to the best of my ability!”

 

Sasuke found himself getting excited. He schooled his heartbeat to an even rate, willed his chakra to control. “On the count of three?” he suggested.

 

“One,” Lee said.

 

“Two - “

 

Sasuke’s breath hitched. He narrowly avoided Lee’s kick to his chest, danced back a few steps.

 

“Fucking cheater,” he accused.

 

“We’re not playing around, correct?” Lee asked. “No holds barred.”

 

“Well, then,” Sasuke mused. The tomoe circling his pupils swirled. “I guess not.”

 

Lee advanced forward. They engaged in a simple hand-to-hand back and forth, an electrifying exchange of jabs and blocks and parries. Sasuke flipped backward for extra breadth and unleashed a Fire Release to push Lee away. Forced to retreat, Lee did not simply scramble out of the way but launched into the air. His leg came crashing down over Sasuke’s head. Expecting this, Sasuke dropped to the ground, caught Lee’s foot, and tossed him away.

 

“Commendable!” Lee shouted, immediately back on his feet.

 

“Stop talking,” Sasuke grunted, already flashing through another set of hand signs. A second ball of fire swept across the field. When it receded, Lee was nowhere in sight. Sasuke stiffened, scanning the area. Lee had no chakra to track, so Sasuke had to watch his physical movements - but they were barely visible to even the Sharingan.

 

“Behind you,” came Lee’s taunt. Sasuke pivoted and was met with a fist to the face. “I have no use for fancy jutsu displays. Fight me like a real man!”

 

Sasuke picked himself up off the ground. “Shut the fuck up,” he coughed, truly angry now. He unlatched his kunai pouch. Three blades sliced through the air; Lee dodged each with barely a twitch of the head.

 

“I work with a weapons specialist,” he said. “Please get more creative.”

 

“Fine, you asshole!”

 

Sasuke sprinted toward him. He aimed a fist at Lee’s temple, feinted low, and kneed Lee right in the nuts.

 

“No holds barred, huh?” he goaded, relishing in Lee’s small whimper of pain.

 

Lee recovered shortly. He snapped his arms around Sasuke’s waist and used his momentum to throw Sasuke onto his back. Sasuke bucked him off; Lee somersaulted. Sasuke jumped on top of him and got a good hit at his nose. At this point they were just trading cheap shots, wrestling rather than sparring. Primed with years of unholy taijutsu training, Lee’s body undulated underneath him, strong and muscular despite his recent setback.  

 

His nose spurting blood, Lee laughed in Sasuke’s face. “This is fun!”

 

Sasuke declined to voice his agreement. Prepared to whop Lee again, the other boy slid out from under him and returned the bloody nose.

 

Sasuke stood up, spat blood into the grass, and resumed the chase. His veins thrummed with adrenaline. Lee was quick, incredibly so. His constant aerial attacks and flickering movement forced Sasuke to stay on his toes. Every time he thought he had Lee cornered or immobilized, Lee would weasel his way out and counter just as fast. Sasuke had no chance to analyze his offense or predict his next move. He could only respond.

 

Best of all, Lee eventually shut up once they got into the flow of things. The training ground echoed with the simple sounds of their meeting attacks. The symphony of combat jettisoned sleeping birds from their nests, rustled swathes of tall grass, and disturbed the calm evening breeze.

 

They stamped craters into the dirt, met each other head on, equal in strategy and dexterity. It was different than when Sasuke fought Naruto, who always favored dramatics and had smartass comments; or Kakashi, who was clearly above him and constantly teased or berated him; and Sakura wasn’t even on his radar.

 

Furthermore, unlike Hyuuga, Lee wasn’t so formal he became boring; unlike Shikamaru, Lee wasn’t so apathetic he became annoying; unlike basically any other possible shinobi, Lee had no tricks up his sleeve, no hidden agenda, no secret weapon. Lee, himself, was the weapon. He was a formidable adversary - he took the fight seriously, but didn’t take himself seriously. That, too, might’ve been borrowed from Gai. Vaguely, Sasuke could finally see the appeal in Kakashi’s choice of rivalry.

 

Attention fleeting, Sasuke was pinned to the ground. Lee barred his forearm across his throat. They’d both gotten erratic and hyper - Lee used more pressure than necessary and inadvertently restricted Sasuke’s windpipe.

 

Hemmed in on all sides by Lee’s muscular build, confused by his own feelings, surprised at his compatibility with the other boy, and rapidly losing oxygen, Sasuke jolted. Lee didn’t let up, interpreting Sasuke’s panic as general struggle. Sasuke writhed, gasped - Lee pressed down harder, harder, harder. The Sharingan localized an animalistic glint in his eye. They were both benefiting from this permission to lose control. It wasn’t about education anymore - it was about release.

 

Release!

 

The curse mark blossomed. Pain seared through Sasuke’s entire body as he felt ink black tendrils slip out of the confines of Kakashi’s seal. He roared and picked Lee off of him, threw him across the clearing. His lungs blissfully expanded only to contract again with every bout of pain. He clutched his shoulder, desperately warded off the curse mark’s virus-like takeover of his body.

 

He was hyperventilating - pathetic, he told himself, get a grip! But he could barely hear his thoughts above the agony.

 

Distantly, he heard Lee say his name, then crawl forward and stop behind him.

 

“Get away,” Sasuke groaned, doubling over. The grass cooled his sweltering forehead.

 

He was mortified Rock Lee of all people was seeing him this way - he’d have to kill Lee. There couldn’t be anymore witnesses. He hadn’t had this close of a call since the exams. It was bad enough Sakura saw him lose control, but at least her stupid devotion towards him obligated her to secrecy. Lee had no such obligation. He’d probably run and tell his moronic teacher, who would tell Kakashi, who would tell the Hokage. And then Sasuke would really have to run away. This ultimatum on Lee’s life brought him confusion and sorrow, but he didn’t know why. Everything was happening all at once, it was too much.

 

“Sasuke-kun!”

 

A gentle, cautionary hand on his back snapped Sasuke to the present. He screwed his eyes shut, stopped crying - he’d been crying? - and gritted his teeth. The curse mark slowly ebbed away, back into its seal, taking with it the terrible fire. It was a black fire, unlike the Will of the Fire, which had sparked in his fight with Lee. Now, Sasuke only felt burnt out.

 

The world quieted. Sasuke focused on the grass underneath him, the smell of the earth, the hand rubbing soothing circles into his back.

 

“It’s okay, Sasuke-kun,” Lee murmured. He hiccupped. Oh, gods - _he_ was crying too. “I’m so sorry that I hurt you, I - I lost myself there, for a moment.”

 

“It wasn’t you,” Sasuke said, his throat sandpapery. He uncurled from the fetal position. Lee didn’t take his hand off of his back; Sasuke did not ask him too. “I’m - “ He couldn’t say he was fine. He couldn’t say anything.

 

“What happened?” Lee’s eyes were comically wide, full of tears, but he spoke softly like Sasuke was a frightened animal.

 

“Nothing.” Sasuke took a deep breath. He stood up. Lee stood up with him. They were both bruised, bloodied, and dirtied. He looked Lee in the eye, black to black; the Sharingan had dissipated. “Nothing happened.”

 

“Sasuke-kun…” Sasuke couldn’t stand how Lee said his name, so concerned. He remembered why he initially despised Lee - he was histrionically emotional.

 

“Nothing happened,” Sasuke repeated. The commandment to never speak of this night hung between them.

 

Lee nodded. He reached out his hand, as if to comfort Sasuke somehow, but thought better of it and clenched a fist at his side, face hardened. “I understand.”

 

“I had fun,” Sasuke said. Lee deserved this admission, at least.

 

“Me too,” Lee said, smiling sadly. “It will not happen again, will it?”

 

“No. You’re too much for me.”

 

Instead of taking this as an insult, Lee seemed touched, and his smile faltered. “If you ever need anything…”

 

“I don’t,” Sasuke lied. “Goodnight, Lee.”

 

“Goodnight, Sasuke-kun.”

 

Sasuke left the training grounds and took a long walk around the village.


End file.
